Alcoa Inc (AA): Today's Featured Metals & Mining Laggard

Alcoa was a leading decliner within the metals & mining industry, falling 26 cents (-2.9%) to $8.65 on average volume.

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

Alcoa ( AA) pushed the Metals & Mining industry lower today making it today's featured Metals & Mining laggard. The industry as a whole closed the day down 0.5%. By the end of trading, Alcoa fell 26 cents (-2.9%) to $8.65 on average volume. Throughout the day, 16.9 million shares of Alcoa exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 16.5 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $8.62-$8.85 after having opened the day at $8.84 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $8.91. Other companies within the Metals & Mining industry that declined today were: Timberline Resources Corporation ( TLR), down 10.1%, China Natural Resources ( CHNR), down 7.5%, China Gengsheng Minerals ( CHGS), down 6.1%, and Crosshair Energy ( CXZ), down 5.1%.

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Alcoa Inc. engages in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina. The company operates in four segments: Alumina, Primary Metals, Flat-Rolled Products, and Engineered Products and Solutions. Alcoa has a market cap of $9.34 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. Shares are up 1.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Currently there are four analysts that rate Alcoa a buy, three analysts rate it a sell, and seven rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Alcoa as a hold. The company's strongest point has been its a solid financial position based on a variety of debt and liquidity measures that we have looked at. At the same time, however, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and poor profit margins.